Dive Brief:
- IHOP will roll out its largest menu revision to date Monday, featuring selections across breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night, the company said Wednesday.
- The menu revisions follow brand research that determined customer preferences including “quality ingredients, options that meet the indulgent and lighter side of cravings, choice and value.”
- IHOP has been adding new items to its menu over the last few years. In 2021, the chain launched burritos and bowls, while it introduced Ultimate Steakburgers in 2018.
Dive Insight:
During COVID-19 restrictions, IHOP cut about a third of its menu and has been bringing items back bit by bit. While the menu is about 15% smaller according to CNBC, the chain has been adding new items within the past three years, such as Buttermilk Crispy Chicken, IHOPPY Hour and Hand-Crafted Melts. It has been leaning into virtual brands, which work well with less popular dayparts.
After only a few months on the menu, IHOPPY Hour, which offers $5 items from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., helped drive incremental sales in the mid- to high-teens and about 20% incremental traffic versus the rest of the day. These additional sales led to low- to mid-single-digit growth in sales and traffic for the week, IHOP President Jay Johns said during parent company Dine Brands’ 2020 year-end earnings call.
To get the word out about its latest menu items, IHOP will launch a 360-marketing campaign with new menus, paid linear and digital media and social and earned media. It also will offer double PanCoins to International Bank of Pancakes rewards members with an Eggs Benedicts purchase from April 14 to 23.
The new menu items are:
- Eggs Benedicts, with flavors like ham, veggie and spicy poblano
- Sweet & Savory Crepes, with flavors such as Cinnamon Bun, Fresh Berry and Chicken Pesto
- Cinn-A-Stack Pancakes
- Ultimate Steakburgers updated with four-cheese crisps and bourbon bacon jam
- Fish and Shrimp served with French fries
- Fresh salads, including Fresh Berry and Chopped Chicken Salads
- Beverages, including Mango Ice Tea and Strawberry Lemonade Splashers
